1. Field of the invention
This invention relates to an actuator device for a fingertip switch of the type suitable in particular, to switches intended for driving entertainment machines and the like.
2. Description of the prior art
Prior actuator devices of the mentioned type comprise a casing formed by an electrical insulated hollow body, with its external wall threaded in order to be mounted in an aperture in a support panel and secured by a fastening nut. The casing includes an open bottom with a first recess that lodges a floating push button, with a spring urging the push button toward an inactive position. The push button is extended to form two long elastic legs directly face to face, axially displaceable within the hollow body, through guiding holes pierced on the bottom of the recess. One of the legs has a portion with a configuration, that can act as a cam driver on a generally small-sized switch push button or microswitch, in a definite axial position. The microswitch is partly lodged inside a second recess, defined on the casing opposite bottom, and secured between attachment members. At least one of the legs has a bent tab at the end that acts as a retainer of the push button.
Actuator devices of the mentioned type are known from Spanish utility model application no. 8803702 and utility model no. 8703755, both of the applicant.
Bearing in mind that one of the main applications of these devices is in the field of entertainment machines, it is obvious that they have to sustain heavy duty conditions, because of the continuous effort the players make them sustain. The device must as well offer an effective protection of the switch body to which it is applied, and engagement conditions thereof, i.e. detachable and easy to mount.
All this must be obtained with a minimum cost keeping the reliability and strong condition of the assembly.
Though the utility model application no. 88 03702 means an improvement of above mentioned utility model 87 03755, when providing a stronger protection to the switch body that is partly lodged in the casing, the first model as its push button has only two legs available, one of them operative on the switch, obliges that said legs be located on both sides of the switch and taking into account the small passageway size of the casing second recess, obliged by standard size and by the need to save material, requires the legs and the push button to be made with a small wall thickness, thus weakening its structure, and in the portion of push button operation reinforcing ribs that increase the cost of obtaining the part.
Other antecedents known to the applicant are U.S. Pat. No. 4,454,397 and British Patent GB 1 233 400 which refer to push button switch assemblies.